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Wiseacre Brewing not ready to make coliseum move

Wiseacre Brewing decided whether to move forward with a lease and $12 million renovation of the Mid-South Coliseum.

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David Thiessen practices disc golf on the course near the Mid-South Coliseum Monday evening. Wiseacre Brewing announced this week that it isn’t ready to pull the trigger on an expansion at the Coliseum, perhaps opening the door for some other use of the building.(Photo: Jim Weber / The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

Wiseacre Brewing isn’t ready to pull the trigger on an expansion at the Mid-South Coliseum, perhaps opening the door for some other use of the building, city officials say.

The Memphis craft beer maker told the city it hasn’t ruled out the idea of expanding at the coliseum, but it’s not ready to make a move at this time.

"The stars must be fully aligned for us to have 100 percent confidence, and we're not there yet," Wiseacre founding partner Kellan Bartosch said in a news release.

The City Council had agreed last year to lease the sports and entertainment landmark to Wiseacre pending a six-month company investigation of the move’s feasibility.

The council had given Wiseacre an exclusive right to a long-term lease on the building if the brewery decided to move forward.

"The six-month exclusive period has come and gone very quickly for us to analyze the Coliseum as an option, but we hope that is the blink of an eye over the lifetime of Wiseacre. We are still working diligently to identify the best possible scenario to build a larger facility and are still considering multiple options as we have been from the start. It’s a huge decision and one that requires extreme analysis," Wiseacre co-owner Davin Bartosch said. Davin and Kellan are brothers.

The Beatles performed at 4 and 8:30 p.m. at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis on Aug. 19, 1966. The Cyrkle, Bobby Hebb, The Ronettes and The Remains also were on the bill. Tickets cost $5.50. Robert Williams / The Commercial Appeal

Elvis Presley performs what would be his last Memphis concert July 5, 1976, before a crowd of 12,000 at Mid-South Coliseum. Exactly 22 years earlier, Elvis recorded "That's All Right" at Sam Phillips' little studio at 706 Union. Introducing the song, he said: "I've had some people say -- well, you can't do that song anymore -- well, you, by God, just watch me." Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal

Comic performance artist Andy Kaufman during a bout with Jerry Lawler at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis April 5, 1982. Lawler played himself in Man in the Moon, a movie featuring Jim Carrey as Kaufman, which was released in late 1999. Kaufman died in 1984 at the age of 35. Thomas Busler, The Commercial Appeal

Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Brian Jones (who died in 1969) at the Mid-South Coliseum November 17, 1965. "The biggest applause of the night came when the warmup group, The Ramrods from Boston, opened up with 'Dixie,'" reporter James Kingsley wrote. Nevertheless, "Not since Herman and The Hermits, another English group, appeared in the Coliseum earlier this year has a rock and roll show drawn such a responsive audience." Attendance: About 6,000, compared with "fewer than 2,000" in Nashville. Fred Griffith, The Commercial Appeal

Cheyenne Gibson (left) blows a kiss while teammate Rodney Douglas applauds as their teammates move into the final moments of a Metro Conference game at the Mid-South Coliseum before an announced crowd of 10,900 on Feb. 13, 1988. Memphis State defeated South Carolina 67-61. Jeff McAdory, The Commercial Appeal

High-banked steps, on which the seats of the $4.5 million city-county Mid-South Coliseum would be placed, were taking shape at The Fairgrounds on November 20, 1963. Work on the building was ahead of schedule at the time, according to then City Commissioner James W. Moore. (Courtesy Special Collections/University of Memphis Libararies) Staff Photo, Special Collections/UofM Library

James Brown performs before an audience of 11,733 at the Mid-South Coliseum on August 24, 1968. The Augusta, GA singer has sung his way to the top of the musical heap as Soul Brother No. 1. The Commercial Appeal

Tennessee Ernie Ford (Left), Danny Thomas (Center) and Sammy Davis, Jr. (Right) chat back stage prior to the St. Jude Shower of Stars at the Mid-South Coliseum on May 29, 1971. Also performing at the benefit for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were Bob Hope, Vikki Carr and Frank Sinatra. The benefit raised an estimated $175,000 for the hospital. Barney Sellers, The Commercial Appeal

Willie Nelson drew 9,866 fans to the Mid-South Coliseum on December 27, 1978. The concert, sponsored by Mid-South Concerts, was the second stop on a five-city tour by Nelson, the 45-year-old native of Abbott, TX. The Commercial Appeal

May 21, 05 - Overton High School's Ashley Oliver, right, celebrates her garduation with family and friend outside the Mid-South Coliseum Saturday afternoon. Mid-South Coliseum work crews will stay busy as they prepare for five high school graduations this weekend. Mark Weber, The Commercial Appeal

A rivalry begun in high school continued on 4 Mar 1970 when the Freshmen teams from Memphis State and Ole Miss played at the Mid-South Coliseum. Larry Finch led the Tigers with 32 points and Johnny Neumann led the Rebels with 44. Neumann's Rebels came out on the long end of the score, winning 103 to 95. Finch played at Melrose while Neumann played at Overton. Jim Shearin / The Commercial Appeal files. Jim Shearin, The Commercial Appeal

Sting, bass player and singer for the Police, had the crowd wrapped around his finger as the world's number one rock and roll band performed before a sell-out crowd at the Mid-South Coliseum on Feb. 16, 1984. Thomas Busler, The Commercial Appeal

Edgar Winter and his band went on stage with an unmistakable goal - pounding out thunderous electronic rock and roll - and the music made an instant impact on the audience of nearly 12, 000 fans at the Mid-South Coliseum on May 26, 1974. Stephen Gates, The Commercial Appeal

July 10, 1980 - The Who's Pete Townshend rocks at center stage. As The Commercial Appeal's Walter Dawson noted in the next day's edition: If ever there was a classic English rock and roll band, The Who would have to be it and just as they did a few years ago, they reminded Memphis of that last night before a sellout crowd of 12,000 at the Mid-South Coliseum. Barney Sellers, The Commercial Appeal

June 11 2014 - inside the closed Mid-South Coliseum. The coliseum is proposed to be demolished in the city's plan to develop the Fairgrounds into a sports and retail complex would use $176 million of public funds to be paid off with bonds over 30 years. William DeShazer, The Commercial Appeal

Several dozen skating enthusiasts were attracted to the Mid-South Coliseum for public ice skating on June 20, 1973. They whirled around the temporary rink, sometimes taking a spill. Off their skates here are Jenny McDowell (left), 13, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph McDowell of 3900 Walnut Grove and Theresa Rodgers, 14, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.M. Radcliffe of 475 North Highland. Fred J. Griffith, The Commercial Appeal

July 10, 1970 - Tom Jones woos an invisible audience at the Mid-South Coliseum with "Daughter of Darkness" as only he can sing it. About 8,000 people watched as he wiggled and danced through such oldies as "Fly Me To The Moon," "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Delilah," and "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." Jones was accompanied by members of his television orchestra and The Count Basie Orchestra. (Michael Horowitz/The Commercial Appeal) Michael Horowitz, The Commercial Appeal

The Great Wallendas move carefully along the high wire as they perform their bicycle pyramid at the Shrine Circus at the Mid-South Coliseum on Feb. 9, 1983. The performers are (From Left) Enrico Wallenda, Rietta Wallenda and David Reid. Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

Jackson Browne performs before a crowd of 10,000 at Mid-South Coliseum on March 29, 1978. Karla Bonoff also appeared. The Commercial Appeal's Walter Dawson wrote of Browne: "In a lot of his material, Jackson Browne sounds like a trapped man, rebelling against the constraints of time. In "Your Bright Baby Blues," for example, he depicts a man always a day away from where he wants to be. "For A Dancer" admits to the time when each of us has to take that last dance by ourself." Barney Sellers, The Commercial Appeal

June 11 2014 - Scenes inside the closed Mid-South Coliseum. The coliseum is proposed to be demolished in the city's plan to develop the Fairgrounds into a sports and retail complex would use $176 million of public funds to be paid off with bonds over 30 years. (William DeShazer/The Commercial Appeal) William DeShazer, The Commercial Appeal

December 14, 1975 - With advance man, Earl Simms leading the way, Cher arrives with Gregg Allman backstage at the Mid-South Coliseum prior to The Allman Brothers Band set before a reported 10, 871 fans. Wet Willie was the opening act. Allman and Cher have reportedly dropped counter divorce suits and have decided to reconcile after a brief separation. (Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal)
Barney Sellers, The Commercial Appeal

June 11 2014 - Scenes inside the closed Mid-South Coliseum. The coliseum is proposed to be demolished in the city's plan to develop the Fairgrounds into a sports and retail complex would use $176 million of public funds to be paid off with bonds over 30 years. (William DeShazer/The Commercial Appeal) William DeShazer, The Commercial Appeal

Elvis Presley performs what would be his last Memphis concert July 5, 1976 before a crowd of 12,000 at Mid-South Coliseum. Exactly twenty-two years earlier (7/5/54), Elvis recorded "That's All Right" at Sam Phillips' little studio at 706 Union. Introducing the song, he said: "I've had some people say - well, you can't do that song anymore - well, you, by God, just watch me." Barney Sellers

June 11 2014 - Scenes inside the closed Mid-South Coliseum. The coliseum is proposed to be demolished in the city's plan to develop the Fairgrounds into a sports and retail complex would use $176 million of public funds to be paid off with bonds over 30 years. (William DeShazer/The Commercial Appeal) William DeShazer, The Commercial Appeal

Kiss hit the Mid-South coliseum on August 12, 1979 and Memphians came out in full force to embrace the rock band. Every one of teh 11,999 seats was taken and even those fans seated behind the stage paid $10 each to watch the backs of the four band members. Guitarist Gene Simmons gave the crowd what they came for. Dave Darnell / The Commercial Appeal files. Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

Rufus Thomas at the WDIA Starlite Revue at the Mid-South Coliseum Saturday evening, July 1, 1972. Thomas took the stage in a shocking pink "hot pants" outfit with cape and roused the audience of 12,000 with his performance. "We do this show each year so that black crippled children will have educational opportunity," he said. "WDIA is the voice of the black community here and the station has sure been good to me." Headliners for the show were Isaac Hayes and B.B. King. Robb Mitchell, The Commercial Appeal

Mqy 23, 2015 - (left) Jerry "The King" Lawler headlines the Roundhouse Revival event on Saturday with a wrestling match against the Coliseum Crushers to raise support and awareness of the Mid-South Coliseum. During the arena's heyday, Monday nights in Memphis were known for professional wrestling matches at Coliseum. Kyle Kurlick

March 22, 1980 - Barbara Mandrell gave a captivating performance before a near capacity crowd of 11,800 at the Mid-South Coliseum. Mandrell talked and soothed the crowd with stories of her childhood as though she was sitting on her front porch speaking to friends. She stooped at the end of the stane and touched hands with fans from the audience and, at one point, borrowed one of the many cowboy hats from among them when she sang "Cowboys Ain't Easy to Love." (Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal) Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

May 29, 1971 - Frank Sinatra was the headline performer at the St. Jude Shower of Stars at the Mid-South Coliseum. Also performing for the benefit of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were Danny Thomas, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Vikki Carr and Tennessee Ernie Ford. The benefit raised an estimated $175,000 for the hospital founded by Danny Thomas. Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

050212 BYGONE Shelby State Community College graduates wave their plastic hard hats during commencement at the Mid-South Coliseum on May 3, 1991. The hats were the administration's way of thanking students for enduring the virtual reconstruction of the college's Midtown campus that began 15 months earlier. Of 410 graduates, about 210 attended the commencement. (Dave Darnell / The Commercial Appeal) The Commercial Appeal

Janet Jackson, who alternated between dance-oriented, fast-paced hits and more introspective, all-out singing specials, performs before 11,000 people at the Mid-South Coliseum on July 10, 1990. Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

It's a heck of a way to run a railroad, but workmen have little choice while moving the 1912 Frisco locomotive past the Mid-South Coliseum on July 30, 1983. Track panels were leap-frogged around the 150-ton engine, displayed at the fairgrounds for 31 years. The engine was towed toward Southern Railway yards and eventually will be moved to a shop for restoration before a trip to next year's World's Fair in New Orleans. Richard Gardner, The Commercial Appeal

July 8, 1977 - Natalie Cole performs at the Kool Jazz Festival at the Mid-South Coliseum on July 8, 1977. Others scheduled to perform at the tw-day event were Al Green, Gladys Knight and The Pips, The Temptations and The Mighty Clouds of Joy. (Thomas Busler/The Commercial Appeal files.) Thomas Busler, The Commercial Appeal

August 15, 1971 - The Jackson 5 brought a sellout crowd of over 12,000 to its feet with their singing and dancing at the Mid-South Coliseum. The group of five brothers, ranging in age from 11 to 20, had the crowd screaming for more with their hit songs, "I Want You Back," "ABC," and "I'll Be There." Clearly the favorite of the crowd was Michael, the group's 11-year-old lead singer with his high-pitched voice. The audience also loudly applauded the dancing of Marlon, 13, and Jermaine, 16. The Commercial Appeal

Memphis State University head basketball coach Gene Bartow was a picture of concentration as he watched the Tigers manhandle North Texas State 91 to 60 in the Missouri Valley Conference television game-of-the-week on January 22, 1972. Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

January 14, 1984 - The All American Girls perform for the crowd at the Mid-South Coliseum during a Memphis Americans soccer game. The Americans were a pro indoor soccer franchise that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1981 to 1984. Thomas Busler, The Commercial Appeal

May 23, 2016 - Art of a pink flamingo has been spray-painted on a column at the Mid-South Coliseum. The City of Memphis is opening up the long-shuttered Mid-South Coliseum to allow citizen-led groups with qualified experts to evaluate the building's potential for renovation. Four-hour tours will be scheduled for June 6-10, according to a release sent by the city Friday morning. Interested groups must submit their request for access to the city of Memphis' Division of Housing and Community Development in writing by May 27. Yalonda M. James, The Commercial Appeal

April 22, 1978 - It was billed as the Kool Country Shindig, but it shold have been called the Ronnie Milsap Shindig because from the beginning to the end it was his show at the Mid-South Coliseum on April 22, 1978. Before a crowd of about 6,000, Milsap, a former Memphian, showed why he is considered one of the hottest names in country music, and why he has received two Grammys and was named country music entertainer of the year in 1977. Dave Darnell, The Commecial Appeal

July 5, 1976 - Elvis Presley performs what would be his last Memphis concert July 5, 1976 before a crowd of 12,000 at Mid-South Coliseum. Exactly twenty-two years earlier (7/5/54), Elvis recorded "That's All Right" at Sam Phillips' little studio at 706 Union. Introducing the song, he said: "I've had some people say - well, you can't do that song anymore - well, you, by God, just watch me." (By Barney Sellers/ The Commercial Appeal) Barney Sellers, The Commercial Appeal

June 4, 2015 - Hector Perdomo (left) and Perry Sponseller (center) move one of the horses from the Memphis Grand Carousel as it prepares it's journey from the storage inside the Mid-South Coliseum to begin restoration in Marion, Ohio before being rebuilt at it's new home in the Children's Museum of Memphis. The restoration is expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2017. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) MIKE BROWN, The Commercial Appeal

The Beatles - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon - in Memphis in 1966. They gave two performances at the Mid-South Coliseum on Aug. 19. More than 20,000 fans attended. The late Fred Griffith, former staff photographer for The Commercial Appeal, shot photos of the Beatles for the newspaper. In 1991, he said he and other members of the accredited press were allowed to take photos during the group's press conference at the Coliseum. Griffith, now recalled seeing the Beatles in the rear of the Coliseum before the press conference. "They were in the bus and leaning out the windows and yelling and hollering, and the girls were screaming." Griffith wasn't really impressed with the Beatles during the press conference. "They weren't all that friendly. As I remember it, they acted like they were so much better than any of us. They acted like we were wasting their time, I thought." Fred J. Griffith, The Commercial Appeal

December 5, 2015 - Dustin and Maria Starr march with supporters of the Mid-South Coliseum during the Memphis Holiday Parade on Beale Street. The annual event featured marching bands, dancers, and a wide variety of floats. Brandon Dill

December 11, 1974 - The Memphis Sounds' Larry Finch (center) passes under pressure from Marv Roberts (left) and John Roche (right) of the Kentucky Colonels in an American Basketball Association (ABA) game at the Mid-South Coliseum on December 11, 1974. Finch scored 19 points in the Sounds 104-97 win. It was the Sounds' first win over the Colonels since January 25, 1972, almost three full seasons. 2,910 fans watched the game. (Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal files)
Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal

February 12, 2015 - Jordan Danelz greets attendees of a press conference held by the Save the Mid-South Coliseum group in front the shuttered arena. The group opposes the current TDZ plan for the Memphis Fairgrounds area and lobbies for a repurposing of the Coliseum. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) Brandon Dill

January 13, 2006 - Several times a year hundreds of Shelby County residents are summoned to the Mid-Coliseum to be qualified for jury duty. They are seen here Friday morning in the Coliseum. Mike Maple, The Commercial Appeal

Memphis State All-American forward Keith Lee hauls in a rebound over Delta State's Norvel Shelby at the Mid-South Coliseum on Jan. 2, 1985. Lee had 12 rebounds and 26 points to lead the Tigers to a 73-61 victory. 10,439 fans watched as the Tigers improved their record to 9 - 0. The Commercial Appeal

Mrs. A.A. Kirk of Dyersburg, Tenn., 87, had a dream come true on June 6, 1976 when she met orchestra leader Lawrence Welk, who gave her a big hug and said he liked her dress. Mrs. Kirk has been writing to Welk for some time and last week a letter got into the hands of Mid-South Coliseum officials, who arranged the meeting before Welk's afternoon show. James Shearin, The Commercial Appeal

City officials decided it's time to move forward with planning the future of the coliseum and former Mid-South Fairgrounds, city chief operating officer Doug McGowen stated. The city will resume discussions with neighborhoods and other stakeholders and work toward submitting a tourism development zone application to the state this fall for fairgrounds redevelopment, McGowen said.

Coliseum advocates were hopeful despite the news from City Hall.

“The Coliseum Coalition would like to thank Wiseacre Brewing for the love and attention they brought to the Mid-South Coliseum,” coalition president Roy Barnes said in a statement.

“Although many of us are disappointed that they won’t be expanding their operations in the building, Wiseacre’s efforts show that the Coliseum is a building of the future. We won’t lose the energy and imagination that this great company has put into this great building as we move forward to that future,” Barnes said.

Charles “Chooch” Pickard coalition vice president, said studies of the building had proven its viability for renovation, and now the group will turn its attention to discussions of other potential uses.

Pickard said, "…we must approach the Coliseum and the Fairgrounds with patience, a public process and the excellent planning that we’ve seen with Memphis 3.0 and the Friends of the Fairgrounds public input process."

He added, “We cannot afford a first-come, first-serve approach to these great public spaces. The Fairgrounds and Coliseum deserve the best. Memphis deserves that.”

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Wiseacre Brewing is currently housed on Broad Avenue and has decided to not move into the Mid-South Coliseum.(Photo: Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal files)